Kendall Unisex

Popularity: #309 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KEN-dahl //ˈkɛn.dəl//

Origin: English; Scottish

Meaning: English: valley of the river Kent; Scottish: from the Kent river

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kendall has its roots in Old English, deriving from the elements "cyn" meaning "royal" or "kin" and "dæl" meaning "valley." The name originally referred to a geographical location, specifically a valley associated with a royal lineage, and was used as a surname before transitioning into a given name. The surname Kendall can be traced back to the 13th century in England, where it was used to denote individuals from the area around the River Kent in Cumbria, which is believed to be the origin of the name.

Over time, the name made its way into the realm of first names, particularly in the 20th century, as naming conventions evolved to embrace surnames as first names. Historically, the name Kendall has been associated with various notable figures and places.

One significant milestone in its history is its appearance in literature and records from the medieval period, where it was often linked to the nobility and landowners. The name's association with the River Kent and the surrounding valleys contributed to its geographical significance, as many places in England adopted the name for their own localities.

Additionally, the name has been referenced in various historical texts and documents, reinforcing its connection to English heritage. Culturally, Kendall carries connotations of strength and nobility, reflecting its etymological roots.

The name has been embraced in various forms of art and literature, often symbolizing a connection to nature and the landscape of England. The diminutive form "Kenny" has also emerged, although it is less commonly used.

Overall, the name Kendall encapsulates a rich historical narrative that intertwines geography, lineage, and cultural significance, contributing to its enduring presence in the English-speaking world.

Famous people named Kendall

In this section, you will find notable people named Kendall. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Kendall who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Kendall who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Kendall Jenner is a model and television personality best known for Keeping Up with the Kardashians, her modeling work, and her beauty brand.

Fictional characters named Kendall

The following list of fictional characters named Kendall is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Kendall is a fictional character from the TV series Big Time Rush. He is the lead singer of the boy band and often takes on a leadership role among his friends.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kendall, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

KelseyKaitlynKylieKaraKatherineKeira

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kendall. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KendraKenleyKendrieKendryKendalliaKendara

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kendall was first seen in the United States in 1906.

Kendall has ranked as high as #238 nationally, which occurred in 2011, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Illinois, Florida, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Kendall has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kendall is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Kendall was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Kendall.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,095 163 932
2024 1,152 164 988
2023 1,145 163 982
2022 1,269 208 1,061
2021 1,231 185 1,046
2020 1,207 188 1,019
2019 1,415 200 1,215
2018 1,463 250 1,213
2017 1,654 255 1,399
2016 1,933 230 1,703
2015 2,501 300 2,201
2014 2,753 311 2,442
2013 2,894 376 2,518
2012 2,996 371 2,625
2011 3,004 409 2,595
2010 2,766 423 2,343
2009 2,850 435 2,415
2008 2,695 385 2,310
2007 2,644 477 2,167
2006 2,767 443 2,324
2005 2,928 471 2,457
2004 2,845 485 2,360
2003 2,676 493 2,183
2002 2,167 524 1,643
2001 2,102 578 1,524
2000 2,384 733 1,651
1999 2,068 626 1,442
1998 2,342 697 1,645
1997 2,262 703 1,559
1996 2,144 676 1,468
1995 2,266 720 1,546
1994 2,597 949 1,648
1993 2,236 965 1,271
1992 1,533 787 746
1991 1,511 843 668
1990 1,510 868 642
1989 1,312 688 624
1988 1,237 665 572
1987 1,242 540 702
1986 1,020 511 509
1985 913 466 447
1984 899 428 471
1983 606 359 247
1982 642 364 278
1981 561 365 196
1980 560 370 190
1979 451 354 97
1978 448 335 113
1977 331 250 81
1976 352 280 72
1975 367 297 70
1974 443 345 98
1973 460 349 111
1972 444 330 114
1971 628 428 200
1970 545 433 112
1969 476 402 74
1968 499 410 89
1967 484 396 88
1966 506 417 89
1965 552 430 122
1964 658 538 120
1963 531 464 67
1962 498 432 66
1961 482 415 67
1960 557 448 109
1959 483 408 75
1958 460 390 70
1957 416 382 34
1956 337 306 31
1955 238 226 12
1954 232 218 14
1953 221 214 7
1952 205 192 13
1951 155 145 10
1950 173 160 13
1949 177 166 11
1948 172 160 12
1947 168 150 18
1946 147 147 0
1945 144 129 15
1944 110 103 7
1943 141 127 14
1942 120 113 7
1941 127 120 7
1940 115 110 5
1939 112 112 0
1938 97 97 0
1937 84 77 7
1936 81 81 0
1935 82 82 0
1934 68 68 0
1933 87 87 0
1932 67 67 0
1931 55 55 0
1930 67 67 0
1929 64 59 5
1928 74 74 0
1927 83 83 0
1926 66 66 0
1925 71 71 0
1924 66 66 0
1923 48 48 0
1922 60 60 0
1921 67 67 0
1920 60 60 0
1919 57 57 0
1918 47 47 0
1917 45 45 0
1916 49 49 0
1915 45 45 0
1914 30 30 0
1913 45 45 0
1912 17 17 0
1911 9 9 0
1910 11 11 0
1908 6 6 0
1907 8 8 0
1906 5 5 0

Top States for Kendall (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 120
11%
FL 83
8%
OH 64
6%
CA 59
6%
IL 54
5%
PA 54
5%
MI 42
4%
NY 41
4%
NC 37
3%
IN 36
3%
GA 31
3%
VA 30
3%
TN 29
3%
NJ 27
3%
MO 25
2%
AL 24
2%
MD 23
2%
MA 20
2%
WI 19
2%
SC 18
2%
KY 18
2%
MN 17
2%
UT 17
2%
KS 16
2%
CO 15
1%
CT 14
1%
WA 14
1%
IA 13
1%
LA 13
1%
MS 13
1%
AZ 12
1%
OK 11
1%
WV 10
1%
NH 10
1%
AR 8
1%
NE 7
1%
NV 6
1%
OR 5
0%
ME 5
0%
DE 5
0%